Folding umbrella.



m. 627,695. Patented June 27, I899. A. s, HUBBELL. v

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

(Application filed. May 23, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

ALGERNON S. IIUBBELL, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,695, dated. June 27, 1899.

Application filed May 23, 1898. Serial No. 681,460. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may ooncerm,

Be it known that I, ALGERNON S. HUBBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwich, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrellas, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention refers to folding umbrellas of that class in which the ribs are jointed midway their length to allowsaid ribs to be readily folded upon themselves in the process of folding and shortening the umbrella.

The object of this invention is to provide a joint of very simple and strong construction for securing together the adjacent ends of the two portions of the rib and of the stretcher in such manner that the locking together of the rib portions is effected while the umbrella is in either an open or closed condition and which locking device only permits the folding of the ribs when the umbrella is partially open. Thus an umbrella is provided which when opened or closed is to all appearances the same as an ordinary umbrella, but which may be folded into a small space when not in use.

To assist in explaining my invention I have provided the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrating the same, as follows:,

Figure 1 shows in elevation an umbrellarib of my newly-invented construction, together with its stretcher, and in dotted lines the cover of the umbrella. Fig. 2 shows detached and on a somewhat-enlarged scale a sectional-view of my newly-invented joint and explains the manner in which the'same is operated. Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 2 and explains still further the manner of operating the said joint.

Referring to the drawings, the letters a a" denote, respectively, the two portions of the umbrella-rib, the same beingconstructed of the material and in the form commonly used in the manufacture of umbrellas. The section a I term the main or inner sectionthat is, that portion adjacent to thejstick of the umbrella-and the companion section I term the hinged or outer section of said rib.

Reference-letter 7) denotes the cover-cloth of the umbrella, and 0 denotes the usual brace or stretcher, one end of which is secured to the umbrella-rib at or near the point at which rib portions or and a are hinged together, and the other end engages, it is assumed, theusual runner adapted to travel upon the umbrellastick in the process of opening orclosing the umbrella, as is well understood.

Describing now the construction of the joint for securing together the rib-section a a and the stretcher c, the reference-letter ddenotes a thin metallic clip wrapped around the end of rib-section a adjacent the section a and having formed thereon two plates 01 (1 Between the plates d cl of clip d the end of ribsection a is secured by means of a rivet e, that bridges the space between plates d d and passes through the end of rib-section a or, preferably, through a plate f, secured to and forming a rigid part of the said rib-section a. One end of stretcher c is also socured between plates d d by means of a rivet g, corresponding to rivet e, just described. The rib-section a and the stretcher c are each adapted under certain conditions to rock upon their rivets e and g to permit, respectively, the folding and unfolding of the ribs or a and the opening and closing of the umbrella. As a feature of the said joint, however, certain locking mechanism is provided to prevent the folding of the rib-sections so long as the umbrella is either completely open or closed.

To provide said locking mechanism, the plate f of rib-section a has formed in its end a notch f, and to coact therewith the stretcher c is provided with the portion 0', projecting somewhat beyond the rivet g. The rib-section a. and the stretcher c are hinged at such points between plates (1 d relatively to each other that when the rib sections and the stretcher c are in the positions assumed when the umbrella is opened (see Figs. 1 and 2) the end 0' ofthe stretcher enters the notch f of plate f, and thereby prevents the rockingof the rib-section a, upon its rivet e, and to still further insure against the downward rocking of the rib-section a the upper edge of its plate f is adapted to engage the wall of clip (.1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Should it be desired, however, to fold the ribs, it may be accomplished by sliding the umbrella-runner upon the stick until the stretcher- 0 is approximately at right angles to the rib, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, in which it will be seen that end 0' of the stretcher c has been swung from the notch f, thus leaving the rib portion a free to rock upon rivet 9, (see dotted lines, Fig. 1,) such rocking being continued until portion a is folded upon the main portion a, after which the runner is again slid toward the upper end of the stick to bring stretcher 0 parallel with the rib-sections a a.

To accomplish the locking of rib-sections a a when the umbrella is closed, the runner is slid, as usual, to its lowest point on the umbrella-stick-to close the umbrella. Such action causes stretcher c to rock upon its rivet 9 until said stretcher engages the edge of the plate for rather a projection f of said plate, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 3, thus preventing all rocking of section a upon rivet e and effecting the lockin g together of the two rib-sections.

My newly-invented joint is of neat appearance, of simple and strong construction, and performs satisfactorily the office for which it was designed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with an umbrella-rib comprising outer and inner sections and an intermediate relatively stationary hinge, a projection carried by the outer rib-section and extending inwardly beyond the hinge, of a stretcher pivoted to the rib and provided with a projection extending beyond its pintle in position to clamp the first-named projection against the inner rib-section, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with an umbrella-rib composed of two sections connected by a relatively stationary hinge, one of said rib-sections being provided with a notched end defining two projections one of which depends below the lower edge of the rib, of a stretcher pivoted to the inner rib-section below and to one side of the hinge and provided with a terminal projection en gaging the notched end of the rib to lock the latter positively.

Signed at Norwich, Connecticut, this 10th day of May, 1898.

ALGERNON S. HUBBELL.

Witnesses:

FRANK H. ALLEN, ALONZO'lVI. LUTHER. 

